Only One
by Bubblegum Thai
Summary: Sequel to SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN. The pressure's on in the Tracy family as they're several hands down and one of their own is in trouble. Lots of Tracy family fluff! AU. OC.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I just don't own it. I really don't!

**Authors note:** Hey everyone!! I'm back finally with a sequel to **Somewhere in Between**. Not really much to say, except sorry that it's taken me so bloody long! I've gone back to listening to the same album I listened to a lot when I was writing the original story, and I find it scary how one album has leant itself to so many ideas in the last few years, anywho, it's Lifehouse's 2000 album, **No Name Face**, worth a listen!

**Only One.**

By Bubblegum Thai.

Chapter One.

_I guess you're the only one, that nobody changes._

_I guess you're the only one, that will never change faces._

_I guess you're the only one._

It was early and normally the day would only be barely beginning for the Tracy family and their co-inhabitants of the private island. However, the peaceful serenity of dawn was violently shattered with a loud whir followed by a gush, a column of steam shooting down into the large crevice where the swimming pool usually sat. The silver shaft of Thunderbird One disappeared into the gaping darkness and slowly the swimming pool rolled over like the peel-back lid off of a can of sardines.

It was only a few minutes later where the newly settled calm was disturbed once again as the great monster that was Thunderbird Two also returned home, lumbering through the sky at a surprising speed, it's bulk slowly beginning to lower itself upon the run way before retreating into the cliff face.

Up stairs in the living room of the villa, the heroes were greeted with their usual welcome, their Father, Jeff Tracy, sat behind his desk. He looked up to acknowledge the exhausted duo as they trudged towards him, dropping into the seats before him. He smiled warmly,

"Good job, boys." He beamed, "I know it's difficult there only being the two of you for now, but you did wonderfully. All that's left is a quick report and then you can retire to your beds for a few hours."

Scott nodded weakly,

"Well…" He trailed off, "God, sorry Father, I'm so tired…" He shook his head in an attempt to rouse himself, "It was fairly routine, just long. The foundations of the building had not been properly researched when they decided to extend, so as they've put on all that extra weight, the foundations have slowly begun to crumble."

"Ahhh, I see." Jeff mused as he nodded,

"Yeah! The entire thing just came tumbling down!" Virgil exclaimed, "But, we used the Mole to tunnel under and reinforce before attempting any sort of rescue, we knew the structure was far too unstable for us to attempt moving around with in using our equipment."

"Excellent job!" Jeff oozed with pride, "Well, off to be with the both of you…"

Virgil had to nudge his brother awake as Scott had slowly dozed off in his seat, practically spilling onto the floor. The pair stumbled off to their respective bedrooms, leaving Jeff sitting alone in the large family room, staring at his son's video portraits, all lined up in a perfect row. Things were a little difficult at the moment, not through anyone's faults, John was up in the space station whilst Alan was away on his honeymoon, it had just been unfortunate timing that Gordon had taken a nasty fall out on the cliffs and broken his arm, leaving only two of his sons left. His daughter, Suzan was off of the island again, back living in Japan and working as under-cover agent after the current agent died tragically from a heart disease. He'd been a close friend of Jeff's, and it had saddened him in his passing, however, left him in a panic as the entire country (despite it's tiny size) was completely void of an agent. As his daughter had been nearing her nineteenth birthday, and she was fluent in the language, he figured it would be easier than finding a new agent to trust.

So there they were, not quite a complete family, but they were doing fine, despite their lack of numbers, the only thing that couple possibly go wrong now was if there was a major disaster, and seeing as they were few and far between, Jeff allowed himself the luxury of relaxing, causing him to slowly drift off to sleep.

On the other side of the globe in Japan, it was nearing the end of the day. Where her brothers had returned home at nearly six in the morning, it was almost eight p.m. in Tokyo where, happily shopping away in the Harajuku district was Suzan, the youngest of the Tracy family, her shoulder-length dark brown hair bobbing along as she walked along side of a small handful of Japanese girls of a similar age. She had a small, part-time job working in a fashion boutique which she worked a couple of afternoons during the week, after all, as a secret agent, she couldn't very well have a full-time job in case something came up at short notice, it wasn't as if crooks gave a twenty-four hour warning before doing something stupidly dangerous and illegal, not to mention, her Father was a billionaire, it wasn't like they were short of money, however, she insisted on at least doing most of it by herself. Of course, her Father, being the man is was, was terrified she'd wind up working on a hostess bar, and continuously sent Scott to check in on her for the first three months. However, once he was satisfied that she was earning a meagre, yet respectable living, he gave up. It had been nearly a years since she'd moved there, and was yet to investigate a single incident, and although half-tempted to return to the island for a surprise visit, she knew that as soon as she set foot off of the small island of Japan, something big would happen. She just couldn't afford to take that risk. Not to mention her Father would kill her,

"Suzan, konomu aisukuriimu o ka?"

"**Suzan, would you like an ice cream?"**

Suzan was startled out of her wandering day dream through the market-place by her friend, Hikaru, a short girl with a black bob-haircut and deep brown eyes, cutting into, popping up in front of her with a smile,

"Hai yorokobashi nasai!" Suzan smiled in return, reaching into her red bag made from an old baseball jersey and a pair of blue jeans, for her purse. Hikaru giggled and touched her arm with the shake of her head to signal that the snack was on her.

"**Yes please!"**

When Hikaru returned with the ice cream, Suzan's eyes widened at the size of the thing! It was three scoops high, teetering perilously a top of the cone, one scoop strawberry, one scoop chocolate and one scoop vanilla (or she assumed it was vanilla, at the end of the day, this was Japan and they were not above creating bizarre combinations). She daintily brushed back strands of her wavy hair as she tentatively liked the top scoop. Yes, it was vanilla, she silently thanked God for that and smiled at her friend,

"Arigatou."

"**Thank you."**

Suzan smiled fondly, the ice cream was delicious and it reminded her of the ones that her brother John had used to buy her every week of the summer holidays back in New York. Okay, New York wasn't that hot of a place, but in the summer, most places get pretty hot for their residents,

"I really should give Dad a call…" She mused aloud, earning herself a few curious looks from her fellow shoppers. She grinned sheepishly, "Gomen Nasai." She mumbled, ducking her head before rushing to catch-up with her friends.

"**I'm very sorry."**

"Hey, look!" Gordon exclaimed as Virgil stumbled wearily into the living room, silently wondering where he hadn't chosen a normal vocation, one with office hours like all of his school friends had. Of course, he didn't really mean it, but it were times like this that he did wonder such things,

"What?" He asked with a frown,

"Alan and Tin-tin's wedding photos are back!" He beamed, holing them up with his one working arm. Virgil smiled slightly,

"Well put them down before you damage them!" He scolded, "Alan'll murder you if he finds out you were waving them around like a maniac!"

"Ahhh, relax will ya? They're not back for another fortnight!"

"Two weeks…" Virgil whimpered. He and Scott would be working the missions alone for another two weeks, another two exhausting weeks, "If only Brains' automated system for Thunderbird Five was up and ready."

"Yeah…too bad it's still in the testing stages, huh?" Gordon sighed, "I can't wait to get this cast off and get back out there!" He growled, "It kills me inside to see you and Scott worked to the bone like this."

"Anything from Suzan?" Virgil asked suddenly, looking over to the weeks stack of mail,

"Nah…sorry." Gordon answered, heaving himself to his feet, "I'm starving…" He mumbled, more to himself than to his brother was he wandered towards the kitchen.

Virgil sighed heavily, he was bored. Bored and lonely. It wasn't that he didn't get on with Scott and Gordon, because he did, they were his brothers and he loved them very much, he just missed John and Suzan a lot also, and, he supposed, Alan, though he missed Alan because he was his kid brother, he misses the others because they had vague similar interests and there was never a dull moment when the three of them were together, talking about music, and art and just generally having a laugh.

That wasn't the only reason he felt lonely, he'd felt especially empty in the last couple of months, when the relationship he'd had with Lady Penelope had ended. She'd not really been very specific about what it was about him that she hadn't loved, but he suspected that it was because he'd decided it was time to tell his Father about their quiet meetings and near-secret relationship. Of course Scott knew, Scott knew everything, or, at least, he liked to think that he did. His sister had known, though, because she'd moved just a few weeks in, she didn't know all too much as they'd seen one another once in the past year or so that she'd been living away. When he'd announced to her that he wanted to finally tell their Father, she hadn't taken to it as well as he'd of liked, in fact, she had seemed very opposed to his intentions, and to this day, he still didn't know why.

This wasn't him and he knew it. He hated the fact that he was becoming, in his mind, the freak of the family, he had to be happy. He had to be happy for everyone else. He wanted so badly to slap himself and force himself to pick of the pieces of his shattered heart and carry on with life, but he just, couldn't. He'd never felt like this way, and as much as he hated to admit it, he wanted his little sister. He sighed heavily,

"I've got an idea." Scott beamed brightly as he walked into the living room, "On my next stretch of leave, I'm going to go to Tokyo and see Suzan." He said proudly as he sat beside Virgil on the sofa, "What do you think?"

Virgil cracked a smile,

"Sounds like a great idea, Scott!"

"You should go. Obviously not at the same time, but when Alan comes back, it'll be me, you, John and Tin-tin. Tin-tin can help out, so I'm sure Dad'll let you take a week off. You've been working twice as hard as I have…you know how to use more of the machines than I do. I just tend to supervise. Seriously Virg', it'd do you the world of good."

Virgil gave his brother and exhausted, yet appreciative look,

"Thanks, Scott."

"Just two more weeks…" Scott breathed, "So, sound like a plan?"

"Yeah…" Virgil sighed, "It does."

"Maybe it'll cheer you up, y'know? Stuck on this island isn't good for us all sometimes. That's why we go onto the mainland and so on."

"Moshi moshi?" Suzan cooed as she ran into her apartment to answer the phone that she'd head ringing all the way down the hall outside.

"**Hello?"**

"Suzan. It's your Father."

"Hey Daddy!" She beamed, shutting the front door with her foot, as she stretched her leg out and nudged it closed, "What's up?"

"Not much, I just thought I'd give you a call to see how you were."

Suzan frowned,

"Daddy…you're fourteen hours behind me…it's got to be three a.m. there right now!" She said suddenly, "Please don't scare me like that! I thought something bad had happened for you to be calling me at three in the morning!"

"I'm sorry I scared you, but I wanted to catch you at a time that was convenient for you."

"Well that's very considerate. Thank you." She said with a smile, "You look tired, Dad." She observed on the video phone,

"You look lovely." He countered with a smile, "What've you been up to?"

"Not much. The usual really. I was at work this afternoon, hence the mad dash through the front door a few minutes ago." She grinned, "Other than that, very little. Dad, are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm worried about your brother."

"My…brother…?" Suzan repeated slowly, as if to point out his error, without actually saying so,

"Yes."

"You're going to have to be more specific, Father." She sighed, rubbing at her temples as a small black cat wound itself around her ankles with a mew,

"Virgil."

"Oh." Suzan bit her lower lip, "Is he alright? I mean…what's wrong with him?" She panicked, "He's alright, you said everyone was fine…right?!"

"Calm down. I'm just a little concerned for his health. He's been so tired and miserable lately."

"Hmmm. That's not like him. Nothing ever gets Virg' down."

"Exactly."

"He has stopped writing me letters though…" She admitted, "but I figured you guys were just busy."

"We have been,"

"I know. We get the news on this side of the world too." She joked, "What would you like me to do about Virgil, Father? You guys are under-manned over there as it is. Would you like me to come home until Alan gets back, at least?"

"I…no…I don't think that's a good idea."

"Dad. You said so yourself, Virgil's exhausted, how long is it going to be until he makes a mistake? A mistake that costs someone's life. That costs HIS life?"

"…" Jeff fell silent, as if his daughter had finally rammed in home for him,

"How long until Scott gets in the same condition?"

"…very well…" Jeff sighed, "Come home."

Suzan almost squealed with delight, excited to see her family for the first time in months, since Christmas,

"Great! I'll book myself a ticket on the next Fireflash back to the States."

Jeff smiled weakly,

"I'm not happy about this, after all…this leaves Japan completely without an agent for several weeks."

"Ahh…nothing happens here anyway!" She beamed, "And I'll be back soon enough, Japan won't sink without me!" She laughed softly, flipping a strand of hair over her shoulder,

"Well that may be but I…" Jeff trailed off, his eyes darting to somewhere in the house, "Suzan, I've got to go, John's radioing in! It must be an emergency."

"Alright Daddy! Love you, bye!" She called before disconnecting the video-phone.

"Another mission…another rescue…another long journey home…" Scott drawled lazily as he put Thunderbird One into auto pilot and leant back in his seat. His scanners showed that Thunderbird Two was close behind but was slipping further and further behind him time wise as the slender Thunderbird One was a lot faster than the bulky green transport craft.

It was an hour or so into their journey home and Scott was in his final stretch of reaching home. There was fizzing sound that suddenly came from the radio,

"That was weird…" Scott mumbled to himself, frowning at the radio, "Thunderbird One to base, everything alright down there?"

"Fine Scott, why?"

"My radio just fizzed. It was weird."

"Probably just static from one of the fishing ships, check with Virgil to make sure though."

"Right." Scott nodded, "Thunderbird One to Thunderbird Two, come in Virgil."

Silence.

"Thunderbird One to Thunderbird Two. Come. In. Virgil." Scott repeated louder and clearly, "VIRGIL!" He yelled into the radio, "Thunderbird One to base, no response from Thunderbird Two."

"Alright. I'm sure it's just communication problems. Calm down, turn around and back track."

"I can't, I'm running low on fuel. I've got just enough to make it home."

"Very well. Come in, if he's not back by the time you've refuelled then you'll have to go back and look for him."

"…" Scott fell silent,

"Scott?!"

"Yes…Father…"

"I'm worried about him too, but you must stay calm, it's probably just a radio malfunction. He's probably cruising along none the wiser."

"Right."

- - - To be continued…

Please RnR, if you reviewed **Somewhere in Between**, you'll know that reviewers get lots and lots of love!!


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Thunderbirds…Gerry Anderson does.

**Authors note:** I forgot how had it is to write something based 58 years in the future, whilst trying to stay true to the fact that it was originally created 42 years ago! It's bloody difficult. I don't want to put modern technology into it like laptops and ipods and so on because I feel that it kind of ruins it's innocence in a way. Well…just some thoughts. Thanks for reviewing, let me know what you like/want!

**Only One.**

By Bubblegum Thai.

Chapter Two.

As he opened his eyes the colours and shapes before him were all a blur. He blinked several times in quick succession and slowly everything began to melt back into focus, the familiar ceiling, it's brown glass light fixture and the bright pink splodge from when Alan had jumped out and startled Scott, causing him to splash Pepto Bismol across the white ceiling.

His eye line drifted to the left where he was met by the pair of most startling sapphire eyes staring at him inquisitively. She leant forwards, brown hair tumbling over her shoulders as she did so, dabbing at his forehead with something cold and damp,

"Hey you…" She murmured, smiling at him softly, "How's it going?"

"What happened?"

"We're not one hundred percent sure, but it looks like you crashed Thunderbird Two." She said, "Again." She added with a smirk,

"Really…?"

"Yeah…though, you're not too badly banged up. A knock on the head and a broken wrist. You'll be back to your old self soon enough."

"God…" Virgil breathed, trying to sit up, "Ah!" He winced in pain,

"Stay down," She scolded softly, "You'll do yourself no good trying to sit up like that."

"Why're you here…?" He asked quietly,

"I got home a couple of days ago. You've been out a long while." She answered honestly, "Dad called and said he was worried you were working too hard so I agreed to come home and help out for a few weeks whilst Alan's away and Gordon gets back on his feet, y'know…Japan'll be fine without me for a little while."

Virgil smiled weakly,

"I bet part of you coming home wasn't to take care of me."

"Yeah…well…I'm here now." She beamed, "So how're things other than the obvious?"

"Fine…I think…is Scott okay?"

"Scott's fine." She smiled, "And so is Dad, they're both worried sick about you, I finally sent them off to bed a couple of hours ago. They've been watching over you like hawks."

"Oh…I've been taking up so much of their time…" Virgil muttered,

"Don't be ridiculous." She scoffed, "You're their brother and son, they love you." She snapped, "Now relax and get some more sleep. I'll still be here."

"Look at you…I'm supposed to be the one that looks after you, not the other way around!"

"Shhh…go to sleep." She soothed, standing up to walk across the room and close the curtains, "You had so many people scared, what will Penelope think…?" She sighed.

- - -

When Virgil's eyes opened a second time, his welcome was not so warm. Instead of dozing into consciousness in a warm, comfortable bed staring up at the ceiling, he awoke to find himself sprawled across the control panel of Thunderbird Two, the smell of burning sounding him tied in with the whisper of smoke from somewhere behind. He groaned, blood pouring down his face and across the painted steel of the panel. His arm was numb and as he tried to sit up strait, back into his pilot's seat, he flopped sideways and onto the tilted floor. He rolled across the bottom of the ship until his hit the inside of the hub, his back making a sickening thud against the heavy metal. Slowly but surely he pulled himself to his feet using his single working arm and staggered to the hatchway. As he opened it, he realised that he was half-submerged in a lake and water pooled at his feet as the door fell off of it's hinges into the swampy water below. He dropped into the water after it as Thunderbird Two slipped a little further under water after it had taken some on board. Half the cockpit was filled now as Virgil waded to the shore. He staggered again slightly, looking around in a confused daze before hearing a car. His head whirled around and he saw a road, it wasn't busy, but two cars passed one another at their point, so he figured that there was at least some sort of civilisation out here.

Stumbling through the undergrowth he headed for the road, holding his arm in agony, it was no longer numb and throbbed with excruciating pain. On his travels he continuously caught his face on the overgrown twigs and branches before tripping onto the road directly in front of a red pick-up truck. Fortunately it had enough time to stop and as the driver climbed down from it's cab and walked around, he let out a gasp,

"Well, blow me!" He exclaimed, "If it isn't an International Rescue man!"

Virgil looked up at him with a frown,

"Please…help me." He croaked before drifting off into unconsciousness again.

- - -

Scott was pacing back and forth whilst Brains refilled the tank of Thunderbird One, it'd been hours now and he was beginning to get the panicky feeling in the pit of his stomach,

"Something has to be wrong…" He said to Brains who frowned at the pump leading into Thunderbird One, "I mean…Virgil's more responsible than this…he is…he really is!" He exclaimed, "I just…what could've happened?"

"Calm down…" Jeff soothed,

"Who was that on the phone?" Scott asked, thinking maybe Virgil had had to make an emergency landing and was calling from somewhere on the mainland,

"Suzan. She's on Fireflash, though with all this going on, I don't know how she's going to get back here."

"Did you tell her about Virgil?"

"No." Jeff said seriously, "There's no sense in worrying her over nothing. She's worried for him as it is."

Scott fell silent,

"Maybe I should've seen that something was up with Virgil long ago. Maybe I've been neglecting his needs."

"Shhh Son…" Jeff hushed, "There was nothing anyone could've done…supposing something has happened."

"W-well Mister T-t-tracy…she's all f-filled up!"

"Great!" Scott exclaimed, running up towards the cock-pit, "I'll find him, Father." He declared before disappearing inside the great craft.

- - -

Virgil awoke for a third time, sitting up, slumped against a cold window, his body bumping around all over the place. Once he got his bearings, he realised that he was riding in the front of the truck that had almost hit him. He groaned, instinctively holding his broken limb before raising his head,

"Ahh…you're awake!" Beamed the driver, "I was worried there for a second…figured I'd better get you to the Doc'! He'd know what to do with you!" He beamed, "So how'd you come by stumbling onto the road in the first place there, lad?"

"I…I don't remember."

"Oh, well, you're lucky I wasn't going too fast, aint you?" He laughed softly, "Name's Jim Higgins, and who might you be young fella?"

"I'm…" Virgil trailed off, "To be honest…I don't know…"

"Well that's not a good start." The driver snorted, "You're obviously from International Rescue."

"I am…?"

"Yes. Says so on that there uniform."

"Oh…right…yes…"

"So you're telling me you don't know your name?"

"I can't remember."

"What about your age?"

"I haven't a clue."

"Well you must have someone out there looking for you! Your buddies…or your family or…someone!"

"I honestly couldn't say…but…I remember a girl…she was from Japan…but…she wasn't Japanese."

"Well that there don't make no sense!" He laughed, "If she's from Japan she should be Japanese!"

"You'd think that…but I just…" He trailed off, "I can't remember a thing…only her…and another woman…a blonde…woman…"

"A blonde woman…well we've got plenty of them! No Jap's though…" He mused, turning left and pulling into what looked like the beginnings of a small, country town,

"Where am I?" Virgil asked, staring out of the window,

"You're in a little old town called Black Lake."

"Oh…" Virgil sighed with a shrug, "Doesn't ring a bell."

"I shouldn't think so, you're not from around here, are you?"

He smiled weakly,

"I guess not." He mumbled, resting his face on the back of his hand, still staring out at the passing woodland. Suddenly, the truck swerved right up a dirt road,

"Folks round here don't like to be disturbed…y'know? No strangers or tourists…but I can see you're down on your luck and you're just some city slicker! You're an International Rescue agent! You're a hero."

"You keep mentioning International Rescue, but I have no idea what you're talking about!" Virgil huffed, getting frustrated,

"Oh, sorry…I forgot you'd forgotten…International Rescue are a secret organisation that go about rescuing people from dangerous situations. Like when my nephew's, buddy's, dog walker's, accountant's sister saw up in New York once…long time ago…that was the day that Empire State Building collapsed…remember?"

"Yeah…sort of…" Virgil struggled, he remembered hearing about it, or…something…it set off a twinge of nostalgia,

"Ahhh…here we are!" Jim sighed as they turned again into the beginnings of what looked like a small town with neat white wooden panelled houses all with a long porch,

"I think my Grand Mother used to have a house like that…" Virgil mused aloud,

"Well maybe she lives round here…"

"No. California." Virgil answered simply without even thinking, "Wait a minute…California…?"

"Maybe that's where you come from." Jim answered knowledgably,

"Maybe…" Virgil whispered, toying with his fingers, "I…I wish I could remember more! Ugh! This is so frustrating! I don't even remember her, I just remember…something about a house…like that…and it backed onto a huge field that…I used to play in."

"Any brothers or sisters?"

"I don't know…I can't see anything, just…I remember a field and a house and I knew it was my Grand Mothers."

"You've probably got a whole family out there worried sick about you. Wondering where you might be!"

"Not necessarily…" Virgil muttered, "If this International Rescue are so secret, who says I even have a family any more? Maybe they're all dead, or maybe I chose to rescue people over them. Who knows? I know I don't…"

- - -

"…what?"

"Suzan…honey…please…calm yourself down…" Jeff soothed over the phone. He'd had to tell her, there was no way that he could lie to cover up why Thunderbird One would be swinging by to pick her up as opposed to the normal family jet, and besides, Scott would've blabbed as soon as he'd set eyes on her. Jeff's eldest was very protective over his siblings, being the oldest, and the unfamiliar sight of his baby sister would stir up yet more emotions within the man's mind,

"…WHAT?!" She screamed into the phone before sniffling,

"I'm sure he's fine…"

"HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT?!"

People were turning and staring at Suzan as she stood at New York International Airport screaming into the pay phone. They could've even begin to imagine what the seemingly spoilt little heiress could have to be so upset about, perhaps Daddy had taken away her Gold card? Wearing a short red dress with a large white collar and over-sized black bow hanging from the neck, complete with black belt and black baby-doll shoes, she stamped her feet in anger repeatedly, causing quite a scene as her chocolate hair flew around her. She was tired, and hungry, and missing her family terribly at this point, not to mention she was so scared for her brother's safety she felt as if she were about to have a nervous breakdown right there in the airport,

"I…" He was cut off again,

"How can you pretend that everything's alright and he'll just stroll through the door any minute? Virgil's out there somewhere, lost and probably hurt…maybe even DEAD and you're telling me to stay calm? How can I?!" She sobbed into the phone,

"Suzan, honey, it'll be okay. I promise. Your brother will be fine. He's strong and intelligent. We'll find him."

"Damn strait we'll find him!"

"Suzan! Your language."

"As soon as Scott picks me up I will not rest until we find him."

"Atta girl!" Jeff beamed, seeing the same admirable qualities in his daughter as he did in his sons.

- - -

"Well…there you are." Doctor Roberts sighed as finished wrapping a bandage around Virgil's wrist, "It's only a miner break, just make sure you get yourself checked out when you get back to your base…or home." He smiled warmly at Virgil who nodded just as Jim walked into the room,

"There you are my lad, some clean clothes for you." He beamed, placing a small pile of clothing down before the pilot, "My wife's also made you up some food, y'know, for the road."

"I really recommend you stop here and rest." The Doctor advised. Virgil shook his head,

"I need to get out there and figure this out. Things are coming back to me now, people and places…I'll be fine…I just need to find them."

The Doctor sighed,

"Well is there anyone I can call?"

"No, it's fine." Virgil smiled with a nod as Jim placed a bundle down beside the clothes containing a couple of bottles of water and some food.

The truth of the matter was that Virgil didn't remember anything, but something deep inside was telling him to get out of there and back on the road. Something told him that he shouldn't stay. Almost as if it were forbidden,

"Well, if you're sure…?"

"I am. I'll get changed and then I'll get out of your way." He said taking the clothes and disappearing off to the bathroom. The Doctor looked at Jim and tilted his head to one side,

"I really think that we should contact International Rescue and let them know where their missing man is. I mean, we have no idea how big the organisation is! For all we know, there're hundreds of them, he could go unnoticed for days!"

"But how do you contact them?"

"I've heard you just send out a call on any frequency and they'll pick it up."

- - -

"There…" Suzan mumbled, running through the over-growth towards a murky looking lake.

She and Scott had landed near Virgil's crash sight, after searching for ages, Thunderbird One's scanners had finally picked up on the faint signal of it's companion craft. Scott followed his sister, running also, catching his skin on the over-growing branches before bursting into the clearing that surrounded the lake. Low and behold there was Thunderbird Two, it's entire front section dunked beneath the surface of the lake. Suzan looked around, petrified, before running around the entire circumference of the lake, leaving her brother totally confused,

"What're you doing?" He asked once she'd circled once,

"Looking to see if he was on the bank…" She answered softly, "…which means…if he's not on the bank then he's probably…" She swallowed hard, trying to hold back tears,

"I'll get the oxygen…" Scott said quietly, turning away from the scene to head back to Thunderbird One, his stomach feeling sickeningly heavy. As he did so, he heard a loud splash, to his horror. He whirled around to see Suzan swimming across the lake towards the Thunderbird. Before he could shout, she dived under the water, headed for the cockpit. Scott waited nervously for her to re-emerge and when she did, he let his breath finally escape his lungs, "Suzan!" He snapped,

"He got out!" She yelled back happily, "He got out! The door was off! The cockpit was empty!" She grinned, splashing back to her brother, "He got out!" She repeated as the water reached foot-level and she waded back onto the bank. Scott sent her a chilling look,

"Don't do that again!" He growled, grabbing her arm, "C'mon…let's get you changed out of those clothes. They're ruined…and you stink!"

"How're you not excited? Virgil's alright!"

"He's not out of the woods yet." Scott muttered through gritted teeth, "He could be anywhere in this wilderness!"

"But he's not dead!" Suzan snapped back, "We'll find him."

- - -

Virgil turned back to the Doctor and Jim. He grinned,

"Thank you so much for everything." He said as he hoisted a duffle bag onto his shoulder, "I'll remember you both, and pay you back for your kindness!"

The duo nodded,

"Good luck, lad." Jim beamed. Virgil nodded before turning and beginning his very long journey to nowhere in particular.

The Doctor turned to Jim and sighed,

"Let's call International Rescue. He's clearly trying to uphold his organisations codes of secrecy. They'll pick him up and give him the help he needs."

"Right."

- - -

Re-emerging from Thunderbird One, Suzan tugged irritably on her old uniform,

"What's the problem?" Scott asked with a frown,

"I haven't worn this in a year. It's a little tight." She muttered, "I think I've put weight on…" She twittered as they began to walk in the opposite direction which Virgil was headed,

"Hmmmm…" Scott mused, not really listening, he was too busy worrying about Virgil now, more than ever because he could be hurt, alone and lost. Who knew how long they'd be walking before they found any one, let alone Virgil.

**- - - To be continued…**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** Thai no own! You no sue! Everybody happy?

**Authors note:** This was originally going to be the second to last chapter, it is now the final chapter! Enjoy.

**Only One.**

_By Bubblegum Thai_

**Chapter Three.**

Jeff Tracy was slumped behind his desk, idly toying with a pen on his desk top, turning it one way, with the nib down, sliding his fingers down the barrel and turning it upside down. He was startled out of his vacant thoughts by the eyes on John's video-portrait flashing,

"Go ahead, John." He sighed, locking eyes with where John's would soon be. If there was an emergency, there was nothing they could really do, with Virgil missing, Scott would have to go it alone.

"Father, I just received a call from a couple of men out in the country, saying that an International Rescue officer that fitted Virgil's description just left their town. Apparently he's suffering some major kind of amnesia and is walking around with a broken wrist." He said, slightly confused as his Father and brother had neglected to fill him in on the situation,

"Thank God…" Jeff breathed, "I'll explain later, did they say where Virgil was headed?"

"Yeah, kind of. I'm sending you the co-ordinates of the town now. It's a Black Lake, Florida."

"Never heard of it."

"It looks like it's way out."

"Well Scott and Suzan are down by Thunderbird Two, so they must be relatively close. I'll pass it on."

"Alright. Keep me updated!" John agreed with a nod.

- - -

Virgil 'hmmmed' as he walked along, he had no idea where he was headed to, he figured that he'd just keep walking in his tatty borrowed jeans and plaid shirt. He tried to sum up the things he remembered, using his fingers to keep count.

Grandmother's house in California.

Secret organisation called 'International Rescue' (even then he didn't technically remember it, Jim and the Doctor had told him from the uniform he'd been wearing, which was now in the pack over his shoulder).

The girl from Japan with those piecing blue eyes.

"Wow…three things…" He sighed, "How is it that I can remember how to speak, and remember those things, but I can't remember my name, or even my family?"

All of a sudden, a great 'whooshing' sound from behind startled him. As he whirled around, he was met with a large silver rocket settling onto the tarmac of the abandoned road where he'd just walked a few minutes prior. He watched, frozen to the spot in confusion and fear as a hatch opened and blue blur appeared,

"Virgil!" Called a girl's voice as the blue shape began to move quickly towards him. H stumbled back slightly as a dark-haired girl lunged into his arms. He had to turn slightly as she did so to keep himself from falling forwards. She held onto him with such a tight grip that Virgil thought he were about to suffocate. Another figure was moving to them, and as he squinted, he noticed the brown-haired man wore the same uniform that he'd been found in,

"International Rescue…" He sighed as the girl finally released him, taking a step back as the other arrived at her side. They were both grinning like maniacs at him and it wasn't until Scott reached forward to hug his brother, that the duo noticed something was wrong about their brother. Virgil took a step back and away from Scott, looking at him cautiously,

"Virgil…" Suzan said again, this time frowning, almost hurt, "Why'd you back away from Scott?"

"I'm sorry it's taken us so long. We've been looking for you."

"I'm sorry…but I just don't…" He trailed off, "Your eyes…" He whispered, taking Suzan's chin in his hand, "Those eyes, I remember you!"

"I should hope so!" She snapped, placing her hands firmly on her hips, "Virgil Tracy!"

"Virgil Tracy?" Virgil asked, "Is that me?"

"Of course…" She frowned, "Don't you know your own name?"

Virgil shook his head sadly,

"I guess seeing as I'm apparently part of your organisation, then I suppose I have no choice but to trust you, especially as I remember your eyes." He said solemnly, "I don't remember anything."

"Amnesia." Suzan said flatly, "It's okay, Father mentioned something like that…it's okay…we'll take you home and, it might be a slow road, but we'll get there!"

"Alright." Virgil sighed, feeling completely lost with the two people that who so obviously knew him well enough to search for him and be so happy to see him, yet he hadn't a clue who either one of them are, "But I'm sorry. I just…don't know who you two are."

"That's Scott." Suzan said, pointing to their eldest brother, "He's your older brother. Scott. He's a pilot…he flies Thunderbird One?" She tried, motioning towards the great silver craft. Virgil shook his head,

"I don't remember but I'm sorry Scott, for backing away from you."

"Don't worry yourself." Scott sighed, placing a tentative hand on Virgil's shoulder, "It's alright." He soothed, almost for himself more than his brother, "And that's Suzan."

"Suzan." Virgil repeated, committing it to memory, "My girlfriend?"

Suzan stopped and stared at him in horror, her mouth and eyes open wide,

"No!" She finally cried, "I'm your sister! Your baby sister!"

"Oh…right…" Virgil blushed, "Sorry."

"It's alright…" Scott laughed softly, "It's to be expected."

"There's a few trips to the therapist when I get home…" She mumbled,

"Home? You live in Japan!" He exclaimed, pointing at her as they walked, "Japan. You live there, and I couldn't figure it out because you're not Japanese! And that's WHY you're not Japanese! You're my sister!"

"Yes." She nodded, "You knew I lived there? What else do you remember?"

"Our Grandmother's house in California."

"Okay…" Suzan trailed off, "Grandma hasn't lived on the mainland in years, not since Alan was in that race…I always forget the names of them. They're always so silly…" She remarked whilst Scott snorted,

"She hasn't? But did her house back onto a field?"

"I don't remember."

"Yes, it did." Scott said, "But we haven't been there in years. Grandma lives with us now."

"Right. Where do we live?"

"On an island…"

Virgil stopped. They had to be joking, the casual manor his brother had said that must've meant that he was lying. Surely. Suzan looked at him and giggled slightly. It was all she could do in this situation,

"Why'd you stop?" She asked, noting his puzzled look, "Are you okay?"

"That was a joke…right?"

- - -

A month had passed since Scott and Suzan had rescued Virgil from his accident, Thunderbird Two was still out of commission and Alan was still on his honeymoon, however Gordon was healing fast, which was good news, as Suzan and Scott were struggling to cope, especially without their transport vehicle.

Virgil's memory still hadn't returned, despite being around the familiarity of his family home and all of it's occupants. He would sit at the piano and tinkle the keys, remembering complicated pieces that he'd learnt years before, or that he'd even written, yet when he would look up and meet the pair of hopeful blue eyes staring at him so desperately he felt nothing more than sadness.

He'd come to realise that the young girl he'd accidentally mistaken for his lover, was not only his youngest and dearest sibling, but probably his biggest fan. When all the others had resigned themselves to the fact that it would be a long and tedious road, Suzan had stuck by his side whenever possible, watching, waiting for a flicker of recognition in his eyes.

But her once bright smile grew weaker by the day now, as she too began to realise that she might not ever get the old Virgil back. All those years that they'd been best friends as well as brother and sister and he still struggled to remember her name a month after the accident.

The Doctor had been, of course, and checked the middle son out, though he hadn't looked entirely convinced for their excuses as to how Virgil had gotten himself into such a state, however, with the fess Jeff was paying him, he decided that keeping silent and not asking questions was probably the wisest of options.

On this particular day, Virgil had been standing on the balcony, as he often did, trying desperately to make sense of the situation. He couldn't even go out and help on missions because he remembered nothing of how to be a pilot of any safety regulations. He'd have to be taught it all from scratch, which was going to be a very long and slow process, though would pick-up once Alan returned as John was coming down to the space station,

"Great…" He sighed, "Another name…another face…"

"Who's another name and face?" Suzan asked as she appeared at his side,

"Joe."

"John?"

"Space station?"

"John." Suzan said with a nod,

"Are we Catholic?"

Suzan spluttered as she choked on the orange juice she'd been sucking through a straw,

"No, Virgil…" She finally managed to wheeze, "Why on Earth would you…?"

"Six children? Our Mother must've been a saint."

"…she was." Suzan sighed, leaning her head against her brother's shoulder, "Or…so I hear."

"What do you mean?" Virgil asked quietly, "This'll sound ridiculous but I don't remember her and it's killing me to know that someone who supposedly had such a huge impact and inspiration upon my life, and I don't remember her."

"I don't remember her either…" Suzan sighed, "I was only two when she passed away, I didn't even known my own name then. You pretty much told me everything I needed to know…you always looked after me growing up, and for years I could never understand why you made so much effort, until when I was sixteen and raising hell as all good teenage girls do, Scott told me the reason you made that extra effort, was because Mum had asked you specifically to look after me. I guess that's what made you so cool. MAKES you so cool." She said quickly, catching herself. She gently punched him in the arm and leant up to kiss his cheek, "Don't worry, you'll be back to your old self soon, and when you are, we'll all be ready to get back to how things used to be." She said before turning to walk away,

"What if they don't?" He called after her, "What if things never return to normal? What if I have to learn my life all over again? Y'know…this morning Grandma asked how I liked my eggs because she'd gotten me and Scott muddled up again. I couldn't tell her, Suzan! How the bloody hell would I know how I like my eggs?! I don't even known my brother's names!"

"Shhh…it's okay!"

Virgil's shouting had startled Scott in the kitchen and he had ventured out to find what all the commotion was about,

"What's going on?" He asked with a frown,

"Virgil's having another episode." Suzan said quietly to Scott, her back to Virgil to conceal her statement from him. Scott sighed heavily, looking at Virgil and smiling,

"Hey man, what's up?"

"HOW CAN YOU PRETEND LIKE NOTHING'S WRONG?!" Virgil yelled, "What's up? I don't fucking know! The clouds?! The ceiling? A freaking Thunderbird?! How the hell would I know?!"

Suzan's eyes widened as her brother's statement,

"What's gotten into you?" Suzan asked, looking at her brother fearfully,

"I don't know…" He sighed. Suzan and Scott relaxed, it was almost as if the storm had passed. Little did they know, it was only the eye, "I don't know who I am and to be honest, I don't know who you are, either! And now, I've got to learn three new names and faces? You say you're my brother and sister but I don't look like either one of you, SHE'S got an English accent and lives in Japan! How the HELL can we be brother and sister?"

"Virgil…calm down…" Scott soothed, "There's an explanation for everything…families are never strait-forward."

"It's our imperfections that make us special…" Suzan mumbled, "You taught me that a long time ago."

"Well then I must be incredibly special! Some kind of God."

Suzan narrowed her eyes,

"I've tried to be patient, and I've tried to be supportive, but I can't take you staring at me like I'm some kind of freak anymore! I'm your sister, I have been for nearly twenty years and in twenty years time, I'll still be your sister and Scott, your brother! And John, and Alan and Gordon too! Dad will be your Father and Grandma your Grandmother. Get a grip and get used to it because we're not going anywhere. Whether you remember or not is academic now. As more days pass, I lose hope that I'll ever see my big brother again, but there's always hope, but that hope'll never survive in me alone. If you give up then I guess I have no choice than to join you, right?"

Before he could answer, she turned quickly and marched off, a door slamming shut somewhere within the house a few seconds later.

Virgil sighed, looking sheepishly at Scott who was staring at him so intently, Virgil felt he would shatter under the piercing blue eyes. He sighed heavily,

"And to think she put up with all my depression after my break-up with Penelope...just to listen to me forget her name five times a day."

Scott was about to nod slowly before something caught his attention,

"Who told you that?"

"What?"

"About your break-up with Penelope?"

Virgil blinked and then shrugged,

"I don't know…I just…knew it somehow."

Scott broke out into a huge grin,

"You remembered something!"

"…no, surely someone must've told me that."

Scott shook his head,

"Only Suzan and I know about it, Virgil. It was quite a secret relationship."

"So only three of us knew? Well…perhaps Suzan mentioned it?"

Scott shook his head,

"No, I knew her, she wouldn't of mentioned that, it's a bit insensitive whether you remember or not!"

"So, what do you think it means?"

Scott smirked,

"I think, dear brother…" He began, wrapping an arm around his younger brother's shoulders, "You're well on the road to recovery!"

**- - - The end.**

Please RnR, the beginnings to the sequel to this is already up; PARTING GIFT.


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